Congress orders Labor Dept to count firefighter-paramedics in workforce data

What it does

This bill requires the Department of Labor to update its occupational classification system to separately count firefighters who also work as EMTs and paramedics—a group currently lumped into the general 'firefighter' category. The bill directs the Labor Secretary to revise the classification within 120 days and report back to Congress within 270 days on how the change was implemented and why dual-role firefighters were previously uncounted.

Why we flagged it

The bill is a straightforward administrative directive to improve federal workforce statistics by making previously uncounted EMS practitioners visible in occupational data. It is a technical fix to a data-collection problem, not a substantive policy change.

What the text implies

• Accurate EMS workforce counts may reveal staffing shortages or geographic disparities in emergency response capacity, potentially triggering calls for increased federal funding or regulatory changes to EMS systems.
• Separate classification of dual-role firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics may highlight wage, training, or benefit disparities between these workers and full-time paramedics, informing future labor policy.
• Better data on EMS workforce composition could support arguments for federal standards, licensing reciprocity, or training requirements that currently vary by state.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Accurate workforce data enables better emergency preparedness planning, resource allocation, and policy decisions affecting EMS personnel and public safety. Citizens benefit from more informed government decisions about disaster response, public health emergencies, and emergency services capacity.

Named in the bill

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Occupational Classification System, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Paramedics

Where it stands

9 cosponsors: 7 Democrats, 2 Republicans.

• Jun 5, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jun 5, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Education and Workforce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

6 lobbying clients named this bill on 9 disclosure filings across 3 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $1,011,031 in lobbying spend. A filing names 42 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 82% of bills with at least one filing.

Glenn Thompson, the sponsor, reported $1,046,943 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American College of Emergency Physicians — $468,727 on 1 filing
• International Association of Fire Fighters — $380,304 on 2 filings
• International Association of Fire Chiefs — $70,000 on 2 filings
• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (naemt) — $62,000 on 2 filings
• Congressional Fire Services Institute — $20,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.